I started a new job on Monday, working in a nursing home. (I’m an LPN.) My body has been launching serious objections, but I survived the first week. One more week of orientation and then I’ll probably be cut down to part time hours. This will make my body happy: my checkbook, not so much. But anyhow…

How is this going to affect my writing time?

In a perfect example of the perverse logic that is my life, working will actually make me more productive as far as writing goes. If the last nearly 6 months has been any indication, the more time I have to write, the less writing I actually do.

I’m not good at self-imposed deadlines either, which is why NaNoWriMo is so great for productivity. Oh, sure, nothing bad will happen if I don’t win, but since I haven’t lost yet it’s a matter of pride now.

I am good at finding time and making time. And if I have to find it or make it I use it. But when I have huge blocks of time I find that I’m not good at using it.

I don’t have as much time to think about storylines at this job, or as much (any!) downtime to scribble a few lines of story, but I also have a ten minute round trip commute vs. two hour round trip commute.

I need routine, and I’m not good at creating one and making myself stick to it. But now that I have an outside schedule to stick to I can write around it.